Two Winners Crowned for The First Time in Apprentice History

After 12 weeks of competition, tough tasks and battles both in and out of the boardroom, both Sarah Lynn and James White have beaten the other 16 candidates in the first series of The Apprentice to see two candidates crowned as winners.

In a shock twist, when faced with the decision between the two candidates, Lord Sugar decided it was a dead heat, and picked both to be his business partner. Both winners will receive a £250,000 business investment and 50/50 partnership with the multi-millionaire business mogul.

Throughout the final at London’s City Hall, both Sarah Lynn and James White had to overcome their nerves and pitch their business plans to Lord Sugar and his panel of industry experts, aiming to prove they have the potential to turn their businesses into big profit brands.

But, for the first time in 13 series’, Lord Sugar decided to double his investment and go into business with both candidates. James triumphed with his recruitment business and Sarah will go on to grow her already successful sweets business, both with the support of Lord Sugar and a £250,000 investment.

Speaking about his extra-large investment this year, Lord Sugar said:

“Well, there I was. Torn, I just couldn’t choose between one or the other. The only fair thing to do was to choose them both. Thing is, it’s now going to cost me half a million pounds.”

Lord Sugar said of offering investment to both candidates:

“This is a historic moment I suppose, in the thirteen years we’ve been doing this. And it’s really because of what I said in the episode. I couldn’t make a decision, it had to be both of them! They were two genuinely great experts in their field and I’m looking forward to going into business with them.”

Describing what he saw in Sarah, Lord Sugar said:

“She’s a very steady business person who has already got a business going, has successfully run it and I think it’s ready to go like that! That’s the point, to scale it up. I have no idea about sweets, other than they break my teeth, but she’s the boss and all I’m going to going to do is make sure that we have the correct mentoring from a business point of view to make sure she stays on the right tracks.”

Lord Sugar gives the reasons he decided to invest in James:

“He knows his business inside out. That’s what I think we found. When we spoke to him he knew all of the nooks and crannies – all of the speciality skills that are required in that business. I want to give him the opportunity now of becoming the boss.”